Beltway Spin Podcasts

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The GOP Hates "Government Ran" Health Care But Won't Give Up Their Own Government Plans

How many times during the last 2 years have we heard the GOP use the phrase "government ran health care" to describe any attempt by the Democrats to address the problems we have in the US from exorbitant high costs for health insurance plans to denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions? One of the main criticisms of the Affordable Health Care Act, the plan passed by the Democrats in Congress and signed into law by the President, was that it did not contain a government plan as an option to compete against private insurance plans. Yet, the GOP continues to falsely call the Affordable Health Care Act, a "government take over of health care".

But when the majority of GOP congressional members are asked personally if they will give up their health plan which actually is a government ran plan, which is one of the many benefits of being elected to the US Congress, they seem to have an odd reaction to the question.

What are the facts?

Beltway Spin Of The Day

Subject: President Obama's three-year gradual withdrawal plan for troops from the Afghanistan War. Some in the media apparently believe that a three-year gradual withdrawal through 2014 is just too fast a withdrawal. Here are a few examples of this meme.

"Why didn't Obama listen to Patraeus?"-CNN-David Gergen; "Since the President is rushing the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan"-Good Morning America-George Stephanoupolis.

Political Shout Of The Day

Subject:Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton, is ready to end the state shutdown. The state government was shutdown two weeks ago when the Democractic Governor and the GOP lead state legislator could not reach a budget agreement. Dayton moved to end the shutdown today by accepting the GOP proposal that would delay school funding and borrow against future revenues to close its $1.4 billion dollar budget shortfall. In exchange, the GOP legislature must drop demand to cut 15% of the Minnesota state work-force.

"Minnesota residents should start the process of recalling the Republicans who are willing to shut down the government to still give more to the wealthiest Americans."

"Republicans have gone completely nuts snce President Obama took office why is that?"